Bat and sphere game pieces

ABSTRACT

A game apparatus comprising an elongated bat having a substantially constant diameter shaft with hemispherical enlargements at either end which prevent the sphere from sliding off the end of the bat, and the sphere includes capturing members comprising at least one opening having a pair of flexible tabs marked with different indicia extending toward one another from opposite sides of the opening thereby defining an entrance to the opening. When the bat strikes the sphere in substantial alignment with the entrance to the opening, the tabs allow the bat to snap therebetween and be retained in the opening.

United States Patent Niewolak [54] BAT AND SPHERE GAME PIECES [72] Inventor: Ronald A. Niewolak, 28675 Adler Drive,

Warren, Mich; 48093 22 Filed: Aug. 24, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 66,506

[52] US. Cl. ..273/95 R, 273/26 R, 273/58 D, 273/ 106 R [51] Int. Cl. ..A 63b 63/00 [58] Field oiSearch ..273/26 R, 26 B, 26 D, 58 R, 273/58 D, 67 R, 95 R, 95 E, 95 F, 106 R, 128 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,705,148 3/1955 Waller ..173/l06 R 2,21 1,330 8/1940 Hochberg ..273/95 R 51 June 20, 1972 1,252,957 1/1918 Schuyler ..273/95 R Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney-McGlynn, Reising, Milton & Ethington 57 ABSTRACT A game apparatus comprising an elongated bat having a substantially constant diameter shaft with hemispherical enlargements at either end which prevent the sphere from sliding off the end of the bat, and the sphere includes capturing members comprising at least one opening having a pair of flexible tabs marked with different indicia extending toward one another from opposite sides of the opening thereby defining an entrance to the opening. When the bat strikes the sphere in substantial alignment with the entrance to the opening, the tabs allow the bat to snap therebetween and be retained in the opening.

15 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUNZO 1m 3.571.039

saw 2 or 2 I N VENTOR.

AT'TO RNEYS BAT AND SPHERE GAME PIECES This invention relates to stick and sphere games and, more particularly, to a game wherein a stick or bat is used to strike a sphere having capturing means which, if the sphere is struck properly, will capture a length of the bat and thereby be held to the bat.

Stick and sphere games are, in general, very well known. Foremost among these is the game of baseball. In addition to baseball, many other games utilizing a stick or bat and a sphere or ball are played around the world including cricket, croquet, polo, field hockey, etc. Yet, the present invention incorporates a new principle never before used in previously known stick and sphere games.

Accordingly, it is an object and feature of this invention to provide a new stick and sphere game in which the sphere will capture and hold the stick or bat when struck properly.

Another object and feature of this invention is to provide a new and different sphere construction which is sturdy, strong and resilient, yet flexible.

A still further object and feature of this invention is to provide a stick and sphere game which may be played by one or more persons.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the instant invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a picture of a preferred embodiment of the present invention as it is used in a game;

FIG. 2 is a horizontal front elevation of both the stick and the sphere;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the sphere takenalong line-33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the sphere taken along line.44 of FIG. 3, but without the bat;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6is a back elevation of the sphere;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section of the bat striking the sphere; and

FIG. 8 is an end view, partly in cross-section, of the .bat striking the sphere.

In reference to the drawings then, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the invention includes a sphere 20 and striking means, which comprises an elongated stick or bat 10 which may be used by a batter to strike or hit at the sphere 20. The sphere may be thrown toward the batter by anotherperson or tossed up by the batter with one hand while grasping the bat with the other. Thus, the game may be played by one or more-persons.

As shown in FIG. 2, the elongatedbat or striking means 10 has at least one striking portion therealong and adjacent one end and an enlarged means atone end which prevents sphere 20 from sliding off the end of bat 10. More particularly, bat 10 has a constantdiameter shaft 12 with enlarged means taking the shape of hemispherical. knobs 14 attached at each end thereof.

The sphere 20 has capturing means which define at least one opening in the sphere for receiving and retaining the bat 10. More particularly, the preferred. embodiment of the sphere 20 has four openings, quadrants or sectors 22, 24, 26 and 28 in which a striking portion of shaft 12 may be captured. Each opening or sector 22, 24, 26 or 28 has tabs 30 extending toward one another from opposite sides of the opening. The preferred embodiment of the sphere has tabs 30 disposed along the greatest circumference orthe equator of the sphere. The tabs 30 are flexible and define entrances 32 to openings 22, 24, 26 and 28 such that if the sphere is struck properly with the bat 10, as will be describedbelow, the shaft 12 will be captured in one of the four openings 22, 24, 26 or 28.

The preferred embodiment of sphere 20, as shown in the drawings, comprises several components which together define the openings 22 through 28. As is best seen in FIGS. 3

and 4, sphere 20 comprises two hoops 34 and 36 joined at diametrically opposite points 38 and 40 such that the planes in which said hoops lie are perpendicular to each other. As seen in FIG. 5, the hoops are T-shaped in cross section, having ribs 35 which provide dimensional stability. Tabs 30 extend laterally from said hoops on the greatest circumference or equator of the sphere, the plane of which is generally perpendicular to the planes of hoops 34 and 36. Tabs 30 are actually 5 joined to the hoops along hoop edges 37, also seen best in FIG.

5. A connection means such as a rod 42 extends through the interior of sphere 20 to interconnect the hoops. In the preferred embodiment rod 42 is disposed along the axis of the sphere between points 38 and. 40 thereby adding structural rigidity to the completed sphere.

The width of entrances 32 formed by tabs 30 is slightly less than the diameter of the shaft 12 of bat 10. As mentioned above, tabs 30 are flexible, and as shown in FIG. 7, the entire hoop-tab combination will rotate if the tab is struck sufficiently close to the hoop. If the bat 10 hits the entrance 32 squarely, tabs 30 will be forced to flex, as shown in FIG. 8, if the bat is to pass through and be captured.

Each tab 30 is marked with different indicia. In the The value of a hit or score thus depends on the indicia marked on the capturing tabs.

The sphere 20 is made of plastic or rubber such that it is durable and resilient yet flexible enough to allow the tabs to bend repeatedly and return to their normal positions. The bat 10 may be made of wood, plastic, metal or rubber such that it is hard enough to flex the tabs of the sphere and strong enough to withstand repeated blows against thesphere. The shaft 12 need not necessarily be solid since a sufficiently strong, hollow tube will perform just as well.

To play the game, the bat and sphere are used in the following manner. The bat 10 is held by the batter at either end. The sphere 20 is then either pitched toward the batter by another player or tossed in the air by the batter himself. The batter then swings at the sphere 20 while it is in the air. If struck properly, as defined below, the shaft 12 of the bat I0'will flex tabs 30and.force its way through entrance 32 into one of the four openings or sectors 22, 24, 26 or 28. As the batter follows through after the shaft has been captured, the hemispherical knobs 14 on either end of the shaft will keep the sphere from sliding off the bat. If not properly struck, the sphere will be knocked away. Only if the batter succeeds in having the bat 10 be captured by the sphere 20 will a score or hit," equal to the value of the indicia on the tabs 30 enclosing the bat, be made.

A proper strike at the sphere 20 is one which causes the shaft 12 of bat 10 to strike one of the entrances 32 approximately parallel to and aligned with a line connecting the points 38 and 40 at which the hoops 34 and 36 are joined. In the preferred embodiment this line coincides with rod 42. Some leeway is allowed here since tabs '30 are flexible enough to compensate for small variations in the striking position of the shaft 12. However, any great variation in alignment with rod 42 will not allow the shaft to pass through entrance 32, and sphere 20 will rebound away.

Thus, it is clear that the bat 10 and sphere 20 may be used to simulate the actual game of baseball. A certain number of swings, say 10 or 12, may be designated as a players time at bat in any one inning, and depending on the number of hits made, three or more persons may bat in an inning. A single ciency improves, he may wish to determine the number of hits,

or extra base hits, he can obtain in succession. These examples of competitive uses for the game areintended to be representative only and not exhaustive of the many varied and imaginative games that can be played with this invention.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. it is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A game apparatus comprising striking means and a sphere having capturing means to capture said striking means,

said striking means comprising an elongated bat having at least one striking portion therealong and adjacent one end thereof and enlarged means at said one end for preventing said sphere from sliding off said one end of said bat, ,said bat having a substantially constant diameter therealong and one of said enlarged means at each end thereof.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bat is solid.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bat is formed from a hollow tube.

4. A game apparatus comprising striking means and a sphere having capturing means to capture said striking means, said capturing means defining at least one opening in said sphere for receiving and retaining said striking means, said capturing means including a pair of tabs extending toward one another from opposite sides of each of said openings.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said tabs extend along the equator of said sphere.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tabs are flexible for allowing said striking means to snap therebetween and to be retained thereby.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said striking means is an elongated bat having at least one striking portion therealong and adjacent one end thereof and enlarged means at said one end for preventing said sphere from sliding off said one end of said bat.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said sphere comprises two circular hoops joined at diametrically opposite points, said hoops being perpendicular to one another, said tabs extending laterally from said hoops on the largest circumference which is generally perpendicular to said hoops.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including connection means extending through the interior of said sphere to interconnect said hoops.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said connection means includes a member extending between said diametrically opposite points at which said hoops are joined.

1]. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said tabs have various different indicia thereon.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said tabs are successively marked with the following indicia: l, B, 2, B, 3, B, H and R.

13. A game piece comprising a spherical member having capturing means for receiving and retaining a striking member, said capturing means defining 'openings in said sphere for receiving and retaining said striking means, said capturing means including a pair of tabs extending toward one another from opposite sides of each of said openings.

14. A piece as defined in claim 13 wherein said tabs extend along the equator of said sphere.

15. A piece as defined in claim 14 wherein said tabs are flexible for allowing said striking means to snap therebetween and to be retained thereby. 

1. A game apparatus comprising striking means and a sphere having capturing means to capture said striking means, said striking means comprising an elongated bat having at least one striking portion therealong and adjacent one end thereof and enlarged means at said one end for preventing said sphere from sliding off said one end of said bat, said bat having a substantially constant diameter therealong and one of said enlarged means at each end thereof.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bat is solid.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said bat is formed from a hollow tube.
 4. A game apparatus comprising striking means and a sphere having capturing means to capture said striking means, said capturing means defining at least one opening in said sphere for receiving and retaining said striking means, said capturing means including a pair of tabs extending toward one another from opposite sides of each of said openings.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said tabs extend along the equator of said sphere.
 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said tabs are flexible for allowing said striking means to snap therebetween and to be retained thereby.
 7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said striking means is an elongated bat having at least one striking portion therealong and adjacent one end thereof and enlarged means at said one end for preventing said sphere from sliding off said one end of said bat.
 8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said sphere comprises two circular hoops joined at diametrically opposite points, said hoops being perpendicular to one another, said tabs extending laterally from said hoops on the largest circumference which is generally perpendicular to said hoops.
 9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 including connection means extending through the interior of said sphere to interconnect said hoops.
 10. An apParatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said connection means includes a member extending between said diametrically opposite points at which said hoops are joined.
 11. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said tabs have various different indicia thereon.
 12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said tabs are successively marked with the following indicia: 1, B, 2, B, 3, B, H and R.
 13. A game piece comprising a spherical member having capturing means for receiving and retaining a striking member, said capturing means defining openings in said sphere for receiving and retaining said striking means, said capturing means including a pair of tabs extending toward one another from opposite sides of each of said openings.
 14. A piece as defined in claim 13 wherein said tabs extend along the equator of said sphere.
 15. A piece as defined in claim 14 wherein said tabs are flexible for allowing said striking means to snap therebetween and to be retained thereby. 